Copa

Biomass is the main source of renewable energy in the EU. Equipped with an appropriate toolbox, European agriculture and forestry have the potential to produce additional volumes of sustainable biomass in the EU by 2030. Copa and Cogeca want the role of certified sustainable agricultural and forest biomass to be strengthened in all the bioenergy sectors.

Ref. CCC(23)[phone removed].3.2023 Copa-Cogeca feedback: Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 2022/0396(COD) Introduction In view of the publication of the Commission’s proposal for the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, Copa and Cogeca – who represent 22 million farmers and their families, and over 22,000 cooperatives – would like to express their concerns as regards some of the extremely ambitious…

Opening of the attached position paper · the full paper is on the Commission’s record (source link above)

COPA and COGECA enthusiastically welcome this initiative, and the willingness of the Commission to apply very targeted updates to the Organic Legislation. We highlight that the Organic Legislative Framework functions and establishes a system that is unique and offers added value to the European Union.

Copa and Cogeca represent 22 million farmers and their family members as well as 22000 cooperatives that are dedicated to providing 446 million EU citizens with safe, nutritious, high-quality and affordable food every day. Farmers, forest owners and their cooperatives are committed to the Paris Agreement and to contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.

European farmers, forest owners and their cooperatives are the first to feel the impact of climate change. 22 million farmers and their family members and 23 000 agri-cooperatives are committed to the implementation of the Paris Agreement and support it as an essential part of the European and international political agenda.

Copa welcomes the Commissions efforts to create a unified and harmonized system across the EU, capable of providing a reliable and trustworthy system to promote a further uptake of carbon farming activities. European farmers and foresters are part of the solution to fight climate change through storing carbon in the soil and biomass.

Agriculture and forestry production is one of the key instruments to reach the European climate targets in 2030. However, to control the delicate balance between climate change and agricultural and forest production, agro-environmental and economic parameters must be considered throughout the whole farming system – ensuring that our transition to a greener business model does meet consumers’ demands, farmers, and…

To control the delicate balance between climate change and agricultural and forest production, agro-environmental and economic parameters must be considered thorough out the whole farming system – ensuring that our transition to a greener business model does meet consumers’ demands, farmers, and foresters’ expectations, and delivers on the undeniably needed environmental outcomes.

Copa and Cogeca represent 22 million farmers and their family members as well as 22,000 cooperatives that are dedicated to providing 446 million EU citizens with safe, nutritious, high-quality and affordable food every day. European farmers, forest owners and their cooperatives are the first to feel the impact of climate change.

COPA and COGECA are the two main umbrella organizations representing farmers and agricultural cooperatives at the European Union level. A key concern is that farmers could become subject to direct or indirect mandatory obligations to use bio-based fertilisers, while having limited ability to recover the resulting additional costs. Agricultural markets are highly competitive, and farmers are generally price takers.

The agriculture and forestry sectors are the only sectors capable of providing not only carbon sequestration but also alternatives through renewable raw materials to substitute fossil-based products. European farmers and agri-cooperatives are ready to play their part in delivering the ambitious EU climate objectives.

Innovation in the plant breeding sector is among the levers that will enable European agriculture to successfully make the transition to a more resilient and sustainable form of farming. This legal proposal is, thus, key in contributing to the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategy objectives such as improved pest-resilience, tolerance to climate change and environmental stress as well as enhanced nutrient and…

Copa and Cogeca represent th European farmers and Agri-Food Cooperatives. We would like to reiterate our comments on the revision of the Climate Delegated Act (CDA), which have not been sufficiently reflected in the current draft Delegated Regulation.

NGT-1 verification should therefore be simple, science-based, predictable, low-cost and fully harmonised across the EU. Regulation should not create unnecessary barriers that reduce farmers access to new varieties or increase seed costs. Verification costs must remain proportionate, particularly as the number of NGT-1 applications is expected to grow.

Currently, Europe as whole is in a state of crisis due to the suffering and destruction coming from the Ukraine-Russia war. And, in times of war the focus on food security becomes an aspect of critical importance. It is essential to take the necessary steps to ensure that food supplies continue reaching those most affected, in Ukraine and globally.

COPA AND COGECA’S FEEDBACK ON THE ROADMAP - “Protecting biodiversity: nature restoration targets under EU Biodiversity strategy” (Inception impact assessment) For Copa and Cogeca, organization representing European farmers and agri-cooperatives, it is very important that any legislative initiative that arises from the objectives set in the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 is accompanied by a thorough and convincing…

The EU Directive 2010/75 EU pursues the goal of enforcing the same level of environmental protection at a similar technological level throughout Europe. In accordance with this Directive, the EU Commission adopted Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/302 of 15 February 2017 establishing BAT conclusions of the BREF documents as binding guidelines for livestock installations in the field of pig and poultry…

European farmers and agri-cooperatives welcome the initiative from the European Commission to open the Annex I of the EU Deforestation Regulation and to consult stakeholders on this proposal. However, no simplification for farmers, forest owners and their cooperatives is proposed.

The long-awaited Environment Omnibus expected by the European Commission it falls short on the EU farmers and cooperative's ambitions. Despite its own Vision for Agriculture and Food, which recognises the urgent need for real, cross-cutting simplification beyond the CAP, the Commission has again chosen minimal ambition and cosmetic changes, at least for now.

Copa and Cogeca acknowledge the European Commissions release of the Roadmap towards Nature Credits, which presents a potential framework for rewarding the environmental contributions of farmers, forest owners, and land managers through privately financed mechanisms. This proposal represents a pivotal opportunity to recognize and support biodiversity protection and ecological restoration within the European Union.

Copa and Cogeca believe that the proposed revised regulation on CO2 standards for cars and vans is a missed opportunity to establish the principle of technology neutrality and recognize the cost-efficient role of certified crop-based and advanced biofuels such as biomethane.

Moving the aviation sector in a more sustainable direction is a major undertaking. This is why Copa and Cogeca call upon the Commission to focus on synergies rather than selecting specific winners. While e-fuels will without a doubt be important in the future, they depend on carbon molecules, which, in a decarbonised future, must come from biogenic sources.

The quote states that food and feed crops have a limited potential for decarbonisation, notably due to their indirect impacts on land use changes. Copa and Cogeca do not consider this statement by the Commission to be correct, since the EU has the strictest monitoring rules[2] in the world to ensure that the raw materials in question are sustainable and no change in land use occurs.

The disaggregated default values in Annex V, Part D play a central role in the RED GHG accounting framework by forming the basis for compliance calculations in the absence of actual data. The draft exhibits multiple material inconsistencies and apparent calculation errors, which significantly affect the accuracy and credibility of the methodology and must be addressed without delay.

Copa and Cogeca welcome the approach as such and the specific draft Annex III to the Nitrates Directive, with the aim to reduce dependence on imported commercial fertilisers or fertilisers produced in Europe at high energy costs by making widespread use of so-called RENURE fertilisers, i.e., fertilisers obtained from the processing of farm manure and comparable to synthetic fertilisers.

Copa and Cogeca take note of the new proposal for the revision of the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) regulation. The review of the regulation, which is set in the context of the 2030 climate policy ambitions, puts forward a new regulatory setting that presents new challenges and opportunities for the agriculture and forestry sectors, the only sectors capable of providing not only carbon…

Copa-Cogeca takes note of the European Commissions decision to assess the future of fur farming and trade in the EU, with options ranging from regulating the sector to a full ban on farming, imports, and sales. As the voice of European farmers and agri-cooperatives, we strongly urge the Commission to base its assessment on science, facts, and measurable welfare outcomesnot on assumptions or ideological pressure.

Reflection paper EU Forest Monitoring Law Five reasons why we do not need a regulation on the EU Forest Monitoring Law In November 2023 European Commission presented a proposal on a Regulation for an EU Forest Monitoring Law.

Opening of the attached position paper · the full paper is on the Commission’s record (source link above)

Copa and Cogeca represent the European farmers and their agri-food cooperatives. We call on the Commission to suspend the draft delegated regulation on Union Data Base for biofuels and biogas. We fear the lack of workability of the implementation of the UDB the efficiency of the database to check physically whether a certificate was legitimately issued the use of data from farmers and the data protection the…

Copa and Cogeca are the united voice of farmers and agri-cooperatives in the EU. Together, we represent over 22 million farmers and their family members, as well as the interests of 22 000 agri-cooperatives. Farmers, forest owners and their cooperatives are the first to feel the impact of climate change. We are committed to the Paris Agreement and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Copa and Cogeca, founded respectively in 1958 and 1959, form the united voice of farmers and agri-cooperatives in the EU. Copa members represent leading farming unions at national level, speaking for millions of farmers across Europe. Cogeca members represent the interests of the thousands of agricultural cooperatives in Europe.

COPA AND COGECA FEEDBACK ON THE ROADMAP “EU environmental law – better access to justice (updated rules)” COPA and COGECA support the general principles of the Aarhus Convention for providing access to information, public participation and access to administrative or juridical procedures for decisions with major impacts on the environment.

Copa and Cogeca are the united voice of farmers and agri-cooperatives in the EU. Together we represent over 22 million farmers and their family members and the interests of 22.000 agri-cooperatives. Copa and Cogeca understand the importance of the problems that European Commission is trying to tackle with this initiative.

Copa and Cogeca welcome regular evaluation of the Common Plant Variety Right (CPVO). Copa and Cogeca are strong advocates for Community Plant Variety Rights (CPVR), recognising the CPVR system as a significant advancement that has greatly benefited the plant breeding sector in Europe. Currently, breeders in Europe develop around 3,000 new varieties each year, demonstrating the success of this system.

Copa and Cogeca welcome the Commission's initiative to address the continuation of the authorisation for the use of a limited proportion of non-organic protein feed in organic pig and poultry production beyond 31 December 2026. The insufficient availability of suitable organic protein feed remains a significant challenge for organic livestock producers across the EU.

Copa and Cogeca are the united voice of farmers and agri-cooperatives in the EU. Together, they ensure that EU agriculture is sustainable, innovative and competitive, guaranteeing food security to half a billion people throughout Europe. Copa represents over 22 million farmers and their family members whilst Cogeca represents the interests of 22 000 agricultural cooperatives.

Copa and Cogeca appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed Commission Regulation repealing Commission Regulation (EU) No 547/2011. We acknowledge the Commissions intent to update labelling provisions in line with recent developments in plant protection product (PPP) use, risk assessment, and the Farm to Fork strategy.

COPA and COGECA, representing the interests of the European farmers and agri-cooperatives, support the general principles of the Aarhus Convention for providing access to information, public participation and access to administrative or juridical procedures for decisions with major impacts on the environment.

We welcome the proposed amendments to Annex II (CMC 10) and Annex III of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009. The inclusion of additional derived productssuch as processed frass, glycerine from Category 2 and 3 materials, processed animal protein, meat-and-bone meal, blood products from Category 3, hydrolysed protein, dicalcium and tricalcium phosphate, as well as horn- and hoof-derived materialsrepresents a positive step…

Copa and Cogeca representing farmers and agricultural cooperatives all across the EU have been favourable to this Directive from the beginning even if in some aspects it could have gone further in protecting and defending the weakest links in the agri-food chain.

Copa Cogeca welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft Implementing Regulation amending Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 regarding the authorisation and extension of certain stunning and killing methods. Our organisations broadly support science based updates of Annex I that provide farmers and operators with additional, practical tools while maintaining a high level of animal welfare.

Statistics, data collection and processing and information plays an important role when reporting back and evaluating the impact of policies and measures implemented in the agricultural sector, most importantly the CAP post 2020.

Copa and Cogeca would like to submitted their contribution to the European Commissions evaluation of the EU Autonomous Tariff Suspensions and Quotas (ATSQ) scheme, calling for a balanced approach that supports European competitiveness while safeguarding agricultural production, food security and supply-chain resilience.

Copa and Cogeca welcome the Commissions legislative proposal on the so-called Wine Package and recognise it as a timely opportunity to support the EU wine sector during a period of structural crisis and market uncertainty.

Copa-Cogeca supports the proposed amendments in principle, as they bring useful flexibility and can help address staff shortages while maintaining safety standards. We welcome the use of remote inspection, trained inspection staff, and new technologies, provided these are properly validated, supervised, and implemented with clear safeguards.

Copa and Cogeca thank you for the opportunity to respond to this public consultation. With regard to potatoes in certain Member States, the proposal does not appear to modify the export requirements to third countries, which remain subject to phytosanitary certification and the conditions established by the destination country.